Expanding the Reach of your Medical Practice through Telemedicine

“Wherever the art of Medicine is loved, there is also a love of Humanity.” ― Hippocrates

telemedicine lawBy: Shobha Lizaso

The need for healthcare services is growing at an exponential rate throughout the US and across the world while the number of healthcare providers is dwindling in comparison which paves the perfect way for telemedicine. The ease of healthcare access should be standard for all people, but many go without healthcare because of their geographic location or lack of funds. From these circumstances, technology has risen as the new champion for the provision of healthcare; technology is building necessary connections between healthcare providers and patients through telemedicine. The field of telemedicine complements traditional medical care in various ways already, and it is expected to continue to expand through the healthcare industry. Some current uses are as follows:Continue reading

Florida Board of Medicine Set to Tackle Telemedicine Issue

laptop doctor

Florida laws that pertain to telemedicine are precious few.  In fact, there is really only one regulation dead on target, and that requires face to face physician contact with a patient in order to write a prescription.  The impact of the hormone replacement therapy (HRT) providers was pretty immediate, but the legal issues related to telemedicine are just not currently addressed in Florida law.  Does providing a telemedicine consult create a physician patient relationship?  What are the requirements related to the medical records arising out of the consult, and who owns the records?  These issues and many more are simply not handled.  And yet, if it is true that telemedicine will be an important tool in the effort to both broaden the availability of care while reducing associated costs, we can be sure that Florida law will evolve on these issues.Continue reading